Mobile ballast treating apparatus

ABSTRACT

A mobile ballast cleaning machine comprises means for lifting and holding the track, vertically adjustable means for removing ballast from the bed to a desired depth, and means associated with the ballast removing means for continuously surveying the depth of the ballast removal and for controlling the same.

United States Patent [191 Plasser et al.

MOBILE BALLAST TREATING APPARATUS Inventors: Franz Plasser; Josef Theurer, both of Johannesgasse 3, Vienna, Austria Filed: May 10, 1972 Appl. No.: 252,350

Foreign Application Priority Data May 24, 1971 Austria 4478/71 US. Cl. 37/104, 172/4 Int. Cl E02f 5/22 Field of Search 37/104, 105, 108; 172/45,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1956 Drouard et al. 37/104 X 4/1962 Bowen 10/1963 Scott et al 37/193 x June 25, 1974 3,126,653 3/1964 Bourgeous l72/4.5 3,158,945 12/1964 Curletl et a1 l72/4.5 3,296,722 1/1967 Curlett 172/45 3,494,299 2/1970 Boyer 37/104 X 3,495,663 2/1970 Scholl et a1. 172/4.5 3,561,538 2/1971 Curlett 172/45 3,610,341 10/1971 Swisher, .lr.... 172/45 3,651,588 3/1972 Hanson 37/108 R Primary Examiner-Robert E. Pulfrey Assistant ExaminerEugene H. Eickholt Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Kurt Kelman [5 7] ABSTRACT A mobile ballast cleaning machine comprises means for lifting and holding the track, vertically adjustable means for removing ballast from the bed to a desired depth, and means associated with the ballast removing means for continuously surveying the depth of the ballast removal and for controlling the same.

9 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures MOBILE BALLAST TREATING APPARATUS The present invention relates to improvements in an apparatus for treating the ballast of a railroad bed, particularly for cleaning the ballast.

Known apparatus of this general type comprises means for lifting and holding the track, which may also be used for correcting the track position, i.e. lining and- /or leveling the same, and a vertically adjustable means for removing ballast from the bed to a predetermined depth, such as an endless ballast conveying chain or bucket conveyor.

In this type of apparatus, the operator has conventionally adjusted the digging depth of the ballast removing means manually according to his general experience. This arbitrary control has meant that either too much or too little ballast is removed during different operations. If the ballast conveying chain was immersed too deeply in the ballast, i.e. too much ballast was removed, the screening capacity of the ballast cleaning screen was often exceeded, and the excess ballast had to be stored laterally adjacent the track to be returned to the bed in a subsequent operational step. Sometimes, the operator caused the ballast conveying chain to be lowered into the bed so deep that it dug into the earth of the sub-grade, which increased the amount of dirt to be removed from the ballast during the treatment. On the other hand, if the conveyor chain was not immersed in the ballast bed sufficiently deeply, not enough ballast was removed to make full use of the capacity of the apparatus.

ln track laying machines, it has been proposed to control the vertical position of a ballast smoothing implement by means of a reference tension wire vertically fixed mounted on the right of way. In this known arrangement, the operator constantly observes a sensor cooperating with the reference wire and manually adjusts the height of the implement when he observes the sensor either bending the wire or moving out of contact with the wire. This requires the careful and constant attention of the operator to hold the implement at the correct height.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a ballast treating apparatus of the indicated general type which avoids the mentioned disadvantages thereof and assures a desired depth of ballast removal at all times.

This and other objects are accomplished in accordance with the invention by associating means with the ballast removing means for continuously surveying the depth of ballast removal and for controlling the same.

The ballast removal depth surveying and controlling means make it possible to adjust the operating depth of the ballast removing means during the continuous operation of the apparatus. Thus, if the operating depth, i.e. the amount of removed ballast, exceeds the capacity of the apparatus and the cleaning screen is unable to handle all of the removed ballast, the operator may readily lift the ballast removing means a little without reducing the speed of the ongoing operation until the amount of removed ballast equals the capacity of the screen. Furthermore, in a heavily encrusted bed which causes a slow-down of the ballast removal or even leads to a complete stoppage of the ballast conveying chain, the immersion depth thereof may be temporarily reduced until the full operating speed of the chain has been restored. The ballast conveying chain may then be re-immersed to the desired depth by means of the depth surveying means, which has been difficult in conventional apparatus lacking such means. Additional advantages are attained on bridges or crossings where less ballast is normally used, requiring less of an immersion depth, the depth surveying and controlling means of the present invention making it readily possible to adjust the immersion depth shortly before the bridge or crossing is reached, and immediately thereafter.

According to this invention, the ballast removal depth surveying and controlling means comprises a reference line, such as a tension wire affixed to vertically,

fixed supports or posts spaced along the track, and a sensor for surveying the ballast removal depth, the reference line being arranged for cooperation with the sensor.

For automatically controlling the immersion depth of the ballast removing means in respect of the level of the reference line, a hydraulic motor means connects the ballast removing means to an apparatus frame for vertical adjustment of the ballast removing means in respect of the frame. The means for controlling the ballast removal depth comprises a control valve controlling the hydraulic motor means, a rotary potentiometer for actuation of the control valve, the potentiometer being connected to the ballast removing means, a rotary axle for the potentiometer, a sensing arm extending from the potentiometer axle, the sensing arm having a free end and constituting the sensor, and the free end of the sensing arm being in contact with the tension wire. Preferably, the sensing arm end is forked and the tension wire sits in the forked end. In this manner, the ballast removing means is automatically adjusted to the desired digging depth at all times to obtain an even depth.

An indicating device may be mounted at the operating stand of the apparatus for continuously indicating the ballast removal depth. If the indicating device comprises a recording device for recording the ballast removal depth, the resultant record may be used to calculate the amount of removed and cleaned ballast during the entire operation, which could be the basis for the wages of the operator if they are based on the amount of treated ballast.

Also, the maximal ballast removal depth may desirably be adjusted in dependence on the amount of ballast treated so that excess removal of ballast beyond the capacity of the apparatus may be excluded from the beginning by making this adjustment.

According to the invention, manual adjustment of the ballast removal depth may be provided by mounting the sensor vertically adjustably in respect of the ballast removing means, preferably by means of a threaded spindle, and a scale cooperating with the sensor visually indicates the vertical adjustment thereof.

In accordance with a preferred feature of the present invention, which is particularly useful when the apparatus is used in conjunction with a track laying operation wherein track superelevations must be taken into account, a measuring frame is connected to the ballast removing means. A pendulum moving in a plane transverse to the track is supported on the measuring frame, a rotary potentiometer is coupled to the pendulum, and a means is provided for adjusting the sensor vertically in respect of the measuring frame, the rotary potentiometer being electrically connected to the vertical adjustment means of the sensor.

The above and other objects, advantages and features of this invention will become more apparent in the following detailed description of a now preferred embodiment of a ballast cleaning apparatus according to the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein FIG. 1 is an elevational side view of the apparatus and FIG. 2 schematically shows certain preferred features thereof and a circuit diagram of the surveying and controlling means.

Referring now to the drawing and first to FIG. 1, there is shown an elongated apparatus frame 3 mounted on undercarriages l, 2 for mobility on a track 4 supported on ballast 6. Mounted on the frame intermediate the undercarriages is a ballast removing means of generally conventional structure and, therefore, illustrated only schematically, the illustrated ballast removing means consisting of an endless bucket or scraping conveyor 5 which has one run immersed in the ballast below the lifted track 4 and extending transversely thereof while two runs of the chain extend obliquely upwardly laterally of the apparatus frame to move the removed ballast to a cleaning screen 9 which is also of generally conventional structure fonning no part of this invention.

A similarly conventional rail gripping roller type of track lifting and holding means 7 is mounted on frame 4 in the range of the ballast removal point. In a well known manner, a hydraulic motor may be connected to the track gripping device 7 for lifting the same and, if desired, for moving it laterally so that this device may be used for leveling and lining the track.

Rearwardly of the ballast removal point in the working direction of the apparatus, i.e. at the point where the cleaned ballast is returned to the bed, a ballast smoothing implement 8 is mounted on the frame to smooth out the cleaned ballast. The multi-stage oscillatory cleaning screen 9 sifts out the dirt and delivers the cleaned ballast to a conveyor band system 10 which returns the ballast to the bed while the conveyor bands 11, 12, 13 move the dirt either to the shoulders of the bed or to non-illustrated vehicles to transport the dirt away from the track site. The cribs are filled with a portion of the cleaned ballast by means of oscillatory chute 14 receiving this portion of the cleaned ballast from screen 9. Means illustrated to consist of hydraulic motor means 15, 16 connect the lateral runs of the ballast conveying chain to the frame for adjusting the chain vertically as well as laterally, the hydraulic motors 15 being used for lateral pivoting of the chain while the hydraulic motors l6 serve for the vertical adjustment of the chain and thus determine the depth of ballast removal by immersing the lower or transverse run of the chain in the ballast to a predetermined depth.

As best shown in FIG. 2, the hydraulic motors l6, 16 receive hydraulic fluid through hydraulic circuit lines 21, 22 which are connected to control valve 19, which may be a servo valve, which thus controls the hydraulic motors to control the ballast removal depth continuously. Furthermore, a sensor 17 is mounted on the ballast removing means 5 for continuously surveying the ballast removal depth in cooperation with a reference line 18. In the illustrated embodiment, the reference line is a tension wire 18a affixed to vertically fixed supports 20 spaced along the track.

As schematically indicated in FIG. 2, the endless ballast removing scraping or bucket conveyor chain 5 is of generally triangular configuration, with its lower run 5a extending in the ballast transversely of, and below, the lifted track while the lateral runs of the chain are connected to the frame 4 by hydraulic motors 16, the piston rods 16a of the motors being linked to the lateral chain runs. In this manner, the immersion depth of the lower run 5a may be adjusted by pivoting the chain about a point of gravity in the region of the apex of the triangle.

Hydraulic fluid is supplied to the motors 16, 16 from fluid reservoir 26 by constant speed pump 24 in the fluid delivery line 23 leading to control valve 19 while return line 25 leads back to the reservoir, thus completing the hydraulic fluid circuit. The coils of control valve 19 are electrically connected by conductor 27a to a rotary potentiometer 27 for actuation of the control valve by the potentiometer. A sensing arm 28 extends from the rotary axle of the potentiometer and has a free end constituting a sensor for surveying the ballast removal depth in cooperation and contact with tension wire 18a. The potentiometer is mounted on the chain 5 so that the sensing arm is pivotal in dependence of the position of the tension wire in respect to the vertical position of the chain. It may be desirable to make the free end of the sensing arm forked so that the tension wire sits in the forked end, the forked end of the sensing arm contacting the tension wire either from above or below.

In the illustrated embodiment, the potentiometer 27 is affixed to the upper end of a vertically extending threaded spindle 29 vertically movably mounted in a threaded sleeve 31. The sleeve 31 is coupled to the chain 5 and moves vertically with it. The lower end of spindle 29 carries a manually operable hand wheel 30 so that rotation of the wheel 30 will vertically adjust the position of the potentiometer 27 in respect to the sleeve 31 and thus to the chain 5. The amount of vertical adjustment may be read from scale 32 which may be observed by an operator so as to make possible manual adjustments of the immersion depth to a desired extent, i.e. to change the automatic adjustment of the depth in relation to reference line 18 when local conditions so require. This may be of particular importance in case of unforeseen emergencies or road conditions,

such as a heavily encrusted ballast portion, bridges,

crossings and the like, each of which requires the ballast removing means to be lifted somewhat temporarily to assure satisfactory operations. In such instances, the operator can read the immersion depth from scale 32 and thus return the chain to the desired immersion depth after normal conditions have been restored.

If desired, this simple scale may be supplemented or substituted by an indicating device 33 at the operating stand for continuously indicating the ballast removal depth. Furthermore, a recording device 34 may also be provided at the operating stand for continuously recording the depth and thus to establish a permanent record thereof.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the servo valve 19 is also connected to means for automatically adjusting the transverse inclination of the run 5a of the ballast removing chain 5, which is useful at superelevations of the track in curves. While the abovedescribed control actuates both hydraulic motors 16, 16 in unison, this added means permits individual operation of each motor. While potentiometer 27 controls the immersion depth of run 5a of the ballast removing chain, it is desirable to operate one of the motors 16 additionally to determine a desired superelevation.

This is accomplished by means of a measuring frame which is connected to the ballast removing chain and is vertically adjustably mounted on apparatus frame 3. A pendulum 37 is supported on the measuring frame for pendulum movement in a plane transverse to the track and a rotary potentiometer 36 is coupled to the pendulum, the pendulum hanging from the rotary axle of the potentiometer. A conductor 38 electrically connects the potentiometer 36 to electromotor 41 which is pivotally mounted on measuring frame 35, the electrical signal from the potentiometer being amplified by amplifier 39 in conductor 38. A threaded spindle 40 is coupled to the electromotor 41 for actuation thereby and a nut 42 is mounted on the spindle substantially in the center thereof. An arm 43 is coupled to nut 42 for movement therewith when the electromotor 41 rotates spindle 40. One end of arm 43 is linked to measuring frame 35 and an opposite free end of the arm carries the threaded sleeve 31 which houses the spindle 29 of potentiometer 27 for vertical adjustment of the latter potentiometer.

The potentiometer 36 is also electrically connected by conductor 44 to one of the inputs of a differential unit 45 whose other input receives a signal from adjustment device 46 for the desired superelevation, the output of the differential unit being connected to valve 19 to supply a control signal thereto corresponding to this superelevation.

lf run 50 of the chain 5 is to be transversely inclined to produce a superelevation, this superelevation value is set on device 46, depending on the direction of the curve to the left or to the right, and the actual superelevational value received from pendulum 37 is compared to the set value in differential unit 45 to produce the desired control signal. If there is a voltage difference, the control signal is produced and the corresponding motor 16 is actuated to lift one side of the chain until the voltages are balanced again, i.e. the desired superelevation has been achieved.

The use of a tension wire as reference line is particularly advantageous because it can also be used to control the correction of the track position in a generally well known manner. The tension wire could also be used to control the movement of the apparatus itself.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for treating the ballast of a railroad bed and including a frame mounted for mobility on a track supported on the ballast, comprising the combination of 1. means mounted on the apparatus frame for lifting and holding the track,

2. means for removing ballast from the bed to a predetennined depth,

a. the ballast removing means being vertically adjustably mounted on the frame,

3. a hydraulic motor means connecting the ballast removing means to the frame for vertical adjustment of the ballast removing means in respect of the frame, and

4. means associated with the ballast removing means for continuously surveying the depth of ballast removal and for controlling the same, the ballast removal depth surveying and controlling means comprising a. a reference line extending along the track,

b. a first rotary potentiometer vertically adjustably mounted on the ballast removing means,

c. a rotary axle for the potentiometer,

d. a sensing arm extending from the potentiometer axle and having a free end in contact with the reference line, the reference line and the free sensing arm end cooperating for surveying the ballast removal depth, and

e. a control valve controlling the hydraulic motor means, the first rotary potentiometer acutating the control valve in response to the ballast removal depth surveyed by the free potentiometer sensing arm end in cooperation with the reference line,

f. a measuring frame connected to the ballast removing means,

g. a second rotary potentiometer supported on the measuring frame and having a rotary axle extending substantially in the direction of the track,

. a pendulum coupled to the second rotary potentiometer axle for swinging in a vertical plane transverse to the track, and

. means for vertically adjusting the first rotary potentiometer, said vertical adjusting means being electrically connected to the second potentiometer for actuation in response to the swinging pendulum.

2. The ballast treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ballast removing means is an endless ballast conveying chain.

3. The ballast treating apparatus of claim 1, further comprising vertically fixed supports spaced along the track, the reference line being a tension wire affixed to the supports.

4. The ballast treating apparatus of claim 3, wherein the free sensing arm end is forked, the tension wire sitting in the forked end.

5. The ballast treating apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an operating stand on the frame and an indicating device at the operating stand for continuously indicating the ballast removal depth.

6. The ballast treating apparatus of claim 5, wherein the indicating device comprises a recording device for recording the ballast removal depth.

7. The ballast treating apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a spindle mounting the rotary potentiometer on the ballast removing means for vertical adjustment.

8. The ballast treating apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a scale cooperating with the spindle for indicating the vertical adjustment of the potentiometer in respect of the ballast removing means.

9. The ballast treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the last-named vertical adjustment means comprises an electromotor affixed to the measuring frame and electrically connected to the last-named potentiometer for actuation in response to the swinging pendulum, a spindle coupled to the electromotor and actuated thereby, a nut mounted on the spindle, an arm coupled to the nut for movement therewith, the arm having one end linked to the measuring frame and an opposite free end, and vertically movable means affixed to the free end of the arm and supporting the first-named potentiometer for vertical adjustment in response to the movement of the latter arm. 

1. An apparatus for treating the ballast of a railroad bed and including a frame mounted for mobility on a track supported on the ballast, comprising the combination of
 1. means mounted on the apparatus frame for lifting and holding the track,
 2. means for removing ballast from the bed to a predetermined depth, a. the ballast removing means being vertically adjustably mounted on the frame,
 3. a hydraulic motor means connecting the ballast removing means to the frame for vertical adjustment of the ballast removing means in respect of the frame, and
 4. means associated with the ballast removing means for continuously surveying the depth of ballast removal and for controlling the same, the ballast removal depth surveying and controlling means comprising a. a reference line extending along the track, b. a first rotary potentiometer vertically adjustably mounted on the ballast removing means, c. a rotary axle for the potentiometer, d. a sensing arm extending from the potentiometer axle and having a free end in contact with the reference line, the reference line and the free sensing arm end cooperating for surveying the ballast removal depth, and e. a control valve controlling the hydraulic motor means, the first rotary potentiometer acutating the control valve in response to the ballast removal depth surveyed by the free potentiometer sensing arm end in cooperation with the reference line, f. a measuring frame connected to the ballast removing means, g. a second rotary potentiometer supported on the measuring frame and having a rotary axle extending substantially in the direction of the track, h. a pendulum coupled to the second rotary potentiometer axle for swinging in a vertical plane transverse to the track, and i. means for vertically adjusting the first rotary potentiometer, said vertical adjusting means being electrically connected to the second potentiometer for actuation in response to the swinging pendulum.
 2. The ballast treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ballast removing means is an endless ballast conveying chain.
 2. means for removing ballast from the bed to a predetermined depth, a. the ballast removing means being vertically adjustably mounted on the frame,
 3. a hydraulic motor means connecting the ballast removing means to the frame for vertical adjustment of the ballast removing means in respect of the frame, and
 3. The ballast treating apparatus of claim 1, further comprising vertically fixed supports spaced along the track, the reference line being a tension wire affixed to the supports.
 4. means associated with the ballast removing means for continuously surveying the depth of ballast removal and for controlling the same, the ballast removal depth surveying and controlling means comprising a. a reference line extending along the track, b. a first rotary potentiometer vertically adjustably mounted on the ballast removing means, c. a rotary axle for the potentiometer, d. a sensing arm extending from the potentiometer axle and having a free end in contact with the reference line, the reference line and the free sensing arm end cooperating for surveying the ballast removal depth, and e. a control valve controlling the hydraulic motor means, the first rotary potentiometer acutating the control valve in response to the ballast removal depth surveyed by the free potentiometer sensing arm end in cooperation with the reference line, f. a measuring frame connected to the ballast removing means, g. a second rotary potentiometer supported on the measuring frame and having a rotary axle extending substantially in the direction of the track, h. a pendulum coupled to the second rotary potentiometer axle for swinging in a vertical plane transverse to the track, and i. means for vertically adjusting the first rotary potentiometer, said vertical adjusting means being electrically connected to the second potentiometer for actuation in response to the swinging pendulum.
 4. The ballast treating apparatus of claim 3, wherein the free sensing arm end is forked, the tension wire sitting in the forked end.
 5. The ballast treating apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an operating stand on the framE and an indicating device at the operating stand for continuously indicating the ballast removal depth.
 6. The ballast treating apparatus of claim 5, wherein the indicating device comprises a recording device for recording the ballast removal depth.
 7. The ballast treating apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a spindle mounting the rotary potentiometer on the ballast removing means for vertical adjustment.
 8. The ballast treating apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a scale cooperating with the spindle for indicating the vertical adjustment of the potentiometer in respect of the ballast removing means.
 9. The ballast treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the last-named vertical adjustment means comprises an electromotor affixed to the measuring frame and electrically connected to the last-named potentiometer for actuation in response to the swinging pendulum, a spindle coupled to the electromotor and actuated thereby, a nut mounted on the spindle, an arm coupled to the nut for movement therewith, the arm having one end linked to the measuring frame and an opposite free end, and vertically movable means affixed to the free end of the arm and supporting the first-named potentiometer for vertical adjustment in response to the movement of the latter arm. 